Harrogate to Gleneagles with 4 days rallying in store for 64 vintage cars

‘From Harrogate it started’ in the 1971 RAC Rally, was the name of the famous rally film in which Roger Clark, Timo Makkinen and Hannu Mikkola all starred in Yorkshire in the worst weather seen on the RAC in years at that time! Quite a contrast to the gorgeous Yorkshire weather so far, then in 71, 2.2 million people watched the rally across the UK, which became rally folklore. Harrogate though, is still synonymous with rallying as a great base for the sport as it has been for 60 years. Now the 15th Flying Scotsman is adding to its own rally history as 64 vintage cars made their Harrogate start from the 1805 Rudding Park Estate Park estate.  

Shaun Harborne and Dave Hudson started first in their 1924 Bentley 3 Litre Red Label Speed, dashing straight off from under the HERO-ERA arch and into the first test around the spectacular estate roads that dissected the glorious golf course. The cars that started Europe’s biggest and most prestigious ‘Vintage Car Only’ rally, then headed to the Washburn Valley for a regularity in the late afternoon sun that lit up the beautiful Yorkshire countryside. Many seasoned Flying Scotsman competitors could hardly believe their eyes as they squinted into the sun, they could be excused for thinking the rain will hit any moment as it has done on many previous Scotsman, normally with wind and sleet to match!

Once out of the narrow lanes, the crews headed for another test at Hilderbrand Barracks and then back to rally HQ at the Rudding Park Estate for a Welcome Dinner. This was all part of the plan to ease the crews gently into the Flying Scotsman with relatively easy tests and a regularity. But even so, Belgian Laurent Jaspers and Anne Boutry from France went off the wrong way and then wafted back past the errant turn in the totally elegant 1934 Rolls Royce 20/25 which could just about fit between the tight stone walls of the lanes. Spanish father and son, Jaime and Alfonso Pueche beached their 1937 Jaguar SS100 after they took a wrong road as well! Bob Cook and Geoff Morson had to nurse their 1937 Chevrolet Coupe back after electrical problems, but for multi time Flying Scotsman winner William Medcalf with former champion navigator Ryan Pickering alongside, it was a breeze!

For the proprietor of Vintage Bentley, this is a ‘must do’ event, one that he loves and for both William and Ryan in the 1925 3 litre Supersports Continuation, they have made their intentions very clear, they want to win the 2025 edition. However, tying with them in the lead are Simon Arscott and Emily Anderson, a very competitive crew in the 1937 Aston Martin Speed Model 2 litre. John Lomas and Pete Johnson were third in the 1936 Riley Sprite just ahead of P2P hero and debutants on the Flying Scotsman, Belgian Patrick Debusseré and Dutchman Remco Luksemburg in their Riley 16/4 Special.

The Lite division of the Flying Scotsman has eight entries, they take a slightly different route and a bit less of the competition and have their own dedicated mechanical assistance crew and vehicle. The leaders after the Prologue are Federico Göttsche Bebert and Virginia Sodi in their 1928 Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 Mille Miglia Special from the 1927 AC Six Acedes of Chris and Melanie Wilks. 

Simon Arscott & Emily Anderson, 1937 Aston Martin Speed Model 2 litre. 2^nd prologue

Simon; “Oh, I wouldn't say I’m a Flying Scotsman expert. I've been stuck a few times, I've broken down a few times, and I've finished a few times. So yes, mixed results really.

Emily has been alongside before, she's pretty good, not bad at all, but when you can get her to concentrate, she's excellent. But if you see a squirrel, we're finished, you'll miss and we have missed turns. Simple as that! Luckily today there were no squirrels!

“On the last Flying Scotsman, the head gasket went, which was a bit of shame. The engine has been redone, and we're all on it, ready for Leg One.”

Carlos Rieder (CH) and Urs Schnüriger (CH) 1939 Buick Century 66S 29^th Prologue

Carlos; “It’s so hot, we're gonna remove that roof later on. But for the beginning, it's fine, and I'm sure the weather will change in the next couple of days. For sure, it's England, then Scotland, and we had everything in the last couple of years of the Flying Scotsman, we had rain, we had snow, we had sunshine. Now we start the sunshine, which we really appreciate.”

Urs; Despite the sunshine, you're in total comfort in here. It’s better for navigation and all your books and maps, I think it's easier to be inside. If the weather is nice, it doesn't matter, but if the weather is bad, I think it's easier inside!”

Carlos and Urs had podium success on the P2P 2024 but with this massive Buick, how is the big bus going to take the bumpy road? Carlos: “He's made for straight roads, and he probably won't do it in the front ranking, but we will try our best for sure, and it's a good car, and very reliable.”

Wim and Kees van Soest (NL) 1936 Lagonda Le Mans

Wim; “This is the first time in the 10 years that I'm driving this rally in the sunshine during the start and test, so it cannot be better!”

Kees; “Normally you're wet through, waiting for all the hail, snow, everything, and I’ve got my special cap, okay, but now we don't use it anymore so it’s much better with this weather!

“But It's going to be difficult because I've noticed that the standard is quite high when you're doing this rally, and this is the only rally I do once a year. So for me, it's every time it’s like starting over again. Let's say last week I had already had the wobbles a little bit, because we have to go again, checking the times, practice everything. It's not easy, but it's wonderful to do!”